Forecasters said damaging winds with peak gusts up to 100km/h are predicted for the parts of Gippsland during Friday, particularly in the east, near the coast and in elevated areas.

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The State Emergency Service advised people to move their cars under cover or away from trees and secure loose items around the house.

The severe weather warning for the south west and central districts was cancelled, but forecasters said they will continue to monitor and issue further warnings if necessary.

There were reports of snow in outer Melbourne and near Ballarat on Thursday and duty forecaster Stuart Coombs said snow could continue to fall near Mount Dandenong overnight with temperatures dipping to 2.1 degrees at Ferny Creek just after 11pm.

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In the city, it was an icy 6.6 degrees at 11.05pm, while in country Victoria, there were recorded temperatures of 2.6 degrees in Ballarat, 3.8 degrees in Shepparton, 5.2 degrees in the Latrobe Valley and 3.2 in Bendigo.

Freezing temperatures were being experienced in the state's alpine regions with Falls Creek at -5.6 and -4 at Mount Baw Baw.

Snow blanketed the alps, where in the last 24 hours, 12 centimetres fell on Falls Creek, 15 centimetres on Mount Hotham and nine centimetres on Mount Buller.

While snow blankets the alps, it also fell in Montrose, near Mount Dandenong, as well as Woodend, Ballarat, Ararat, the Yarra Valley, Trentham, Lavers Hill and the Otways.

"The cold air mass that's brought this relatively extreme weather won't move out until during the day tomorrow," Mr Coombs said.

Mr Coombs said the snow event was irregular.

"You might get two of them in one winter and not see them again for 10 years," he said.

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